Japan's F-2 fighter spotted carrying new large stealth cruise missile in test flight

Published Jul 30, 07:38 PM UTC

A Japan Air Self-Defense Force Mitsubishi F-2 fighter was photographed carrying a previously unseen large cruise missile during a test flight from Gifu Air Base. The weapon, likely the air-launched variant of Japan's new Type 25 Surface-to-Ship Guided Missile (25SSM), features stealth characteristics including chines and a subsonic, radar-evading design. The missile is significantly larger than existing ASM-2 and ASM-3 anti-ship missiles, with an estimated range of around 1,000 kilometers (620 miles). This development underscores Japan's accelerating efforts to expand its long-range strike capabilities, driven by China's military expansion and North Korea's missile programs. The Type 25 family, originally a coastal defense weapon, is being developed in ship- and air-launched variants, with deployment planned for fiscal year 2027. The test flight involved the two-seat F-2B prototype operated by the Air Development and Test Wing.